Argument Paper

A question that was posed to be examined was how the Qin Dynasty, Han Dynasty, and the Byzantine Empire maintained cultural, economic, and social stability or why they failed and collapsed? The best way to answer this question is to examine their military powers, along with common cultural philosophies to see which one was the best.

The first example we will be looking at is the Qin Dynasty, which ruled China from 221-206 B.C.E. The Qin Dynasty's downfall was due to the brutality of Shihuangdi which illustrated in the Writings of Master Han Fei. According to the writings of Master Han Fei, "No country is permanently strong. Nor is any country permanently weak. If conformers to law are strong, the country is strong; if conformers to the law are weak, the county is weak..." Shihuangdi used this writing to establish himself as a strong leader with very strong laws that everyone had to obey. Master Han Fei continues by stating "the law does not fawn on the noble....Whatever the law applies to, the wise cannot reject nor can the brave defy." This passage Shihuangdi used to state everyone is accountable to the law, and no one is above reproach when it comes to enforcing the law. Shihuangdi was so absorbed in this law from Master Han Fei, that he at one point burned all the books critical of the teachings and ordered the death of Confucian scholars who were opposed to him. This was brought to light by the edict of 213 B.C.E. In the edict, Shihuangdi's Prime Minister Li Si proposes that "all historical records but those of the Qin be burned. If anyone who is not a court scholar dares to keep the ancient songs, historical records or writings of the hundred schools, these should be confiscated and burned by the provincial governor and army commander. Those who in conversatior dare to quote the old songs and records' should be publicly executed". This burning of the historical records and execution was depicted in a painting dating from the 18th Century. Shihuangdi was so pious in his achievements; he had a memorial built in his honor to proclaim them. Grand Historian Sima Qian wrote in The Records of the Grand Historian of finding the memorial and the inscription upon it. The inscription tells a story of how Shihuangdi set forth a new age, achievements he accomplished, what each person was doing, and how all lived in peace. Even thought Shiguangdi thought he was creating a great empire, his brutal use